Proto:Duke Nukem Forever/2001/Menus
This is a sub-page of Proto:Duke Nukem Forever/2001.
Contents
October 2001 Menu
The menu in the October 2001 prototype is significantly different from the one in the final game. The prototype menu is styled like a computer built into Duke Nukem’s shades, while the final game uses a generic menu that has a looping background video of Duke looking around while smoking a cigar.
The prototype divides the menu into four sections; game, settings, multiplayer, and support. Clicking on a section will have options for each section come from the right side of the section’s icon. By default, each item in the menu is represented with a unique, blue-tinted icon.
Interestingly, a slightly modified version of this menu that added the game's logo, got rid of the graphics that made it look like Duke's shades, and had a background that either showed Duke in the background or had a frozen image of where the player paused appeared in the Jace Hall show footage, which was recorded in 2008.
Single player menu category and options.
Settings menu category and options.
Multiplayer menu category and options.
Support menu category and options.
| Prototype | Final |
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| Prototype | Jace Hall Show footage |
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Menu screens
The prototypes’ menu screens are styled to look like boxes in an operating system such as Windows. The final changes this to be generic menu screens.
| Prototype | Final |
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Both prototypes let the player change the color of the HUD, the boxes containing menu options, and the menu's icons. This is removed in the final game.
The menu with custom yellow colors.
HUD with a custom yellow color.
Changing backgrounds
The October 2001 build lets players change the main menu's background to many unique backgrounds that are in the prototype's files. Backgrounds include color variations of the default background, gag images (such as a mock EverQuest UI featuring a screenshot from one of DNF 2001's levels), a screenshot from Bad Dudes vs Dragonninja's intro, images of attractive women from the late 90s like Natalie Portman and Britney Spears, and very softcore porn ripped straight from Penthouse magazine. Presumably, the ladies and porn would've been removed if the game had ever gotten anywhere close to being shipped.
EverQuest parody background.
One of the Britney Spears backgrounds.
Old DNF key art background.
The single player level select categorizes levels into chapters, such as all the levels in the Las Vegas Strip being under the “Lost Wages” chapter. The player can still choose any level they want in a chapter via a menu underneath the image for the chapter. The final game gets rid of this.
All levels are unlocked at the start in the prototypes. The retail version forces the player to reach a level before it can be accessed in the level select menu.
The 2001 prototypes do not support multiple difficulties, so the game jumps straight to the game after selecting a level.
| Prototype | Final |
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The Controls menu contains both key rebinding (with a unique layout not seen in the rest of the proto’s menus) and mouse options in one menu. The retail game puts the key binding screen in a separate option that’s nested under the main Controls menu.
| Prototype | Final |
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Multiplayer character customization
The prototypes use a menu that heavily draws from the one in the original Unreal Tournament for choosing and customizing one’s multiplayer character. This lets the player choose things like different skins for a model, what sex they’d like the model to be, and more.
The final game moves multiplayer character customization to its own level that is accessed from the multiplayer menu, but the only customizations available are choosing Duke’s hat, shades, and color outfit.
| Prototype | Final |
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Server browser
The prototypes use a server browser that is formatted like the rest of their respective menus. The final game uses a much larger server browser that spans the entire available menu area.
The proto server browser contains some options that are not available in the final browser, such as the ability to swap to LAN games and adjust what connection speed your computer’s internet has. Options such as refreshing the server list have hotkeys in the final game, but don’t in the protos.
| Prototype | Final |
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Create multiplayer server
The October 2001 build divides options for creating a server into categories accessed via a dropdown menu. The final game puts all of the options into one screen.
| Prototype | Final |
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Support options
Both the August and October prototypes have two options that link to a website under the "Support" section called "Latest Version" and "About 3D Realms". The "Latest version" option opens up 3D Realm's site in a browser, while the second one, "About 3D Realms" causes the game to load a black screen. Using the escape key will send the player back to the menu.
August 2001 Menu
The menu system used in the August 2001 prototype is very different from the one seen in the October 2001 proto. While the general motifs are the same between the two, the August menu is stylized far differently. The August 2001 build uses a Matrix-like menu design with scrolling green text going from left to right in the center of the screen. The menu is primarily green and black.
The icons for each main section are the same, but are green-tinted by default and lack the glowing effect surrounding them. The icons that appear when the user clicks on a section are completely different and much smaller than the ones in the October 2001 build.
The font and input box designs for menus in the August 2001 prototype is nearly the same as the small font and box design used in Unreal Tournament. The October 2001 prototype switches to a larger, unique font and rounded input boxes.
Mousing over one of the main categories in the menu, putting the mouse over one of the options that appear from a category, or clicking on an option will each cause a unique sound to be played in the August 2001 build. This was cut from the October 2001 prototype.
A raw August 2001 install has a broken menu. This causes it to not render any options in the menu, though the console and exit confirmation prompt still work. A fix is needed to make the menu appear properly.
Below is a list containing all of the options in both the August and October prototypes. Options that only appear in the August prototype are in bold, while October-only options are in italics.
- Game: New Game, Save Game, Load Game, Profile, Quit Game
- Settings: Video, Audio, Game, Controls, SOS, Parental Controls
- Multiplayer: LAN Games, DukeNet, Open Location, Find Game, Create Game, Player Setup
- Support: Latest Version, About 3D Realms, Fun Stuff
The broken menu seen in the August 2001 prototype by default.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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| August 2001 single player menu | October 2001 single player menu |
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| August 2001 settings menu | October 2001 settings menu |
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| August 2001 multiplayer menu | October 2001 multiplayer menu |
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| August 2001 support menu | October 2001 support menu |
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Menu screens
Menu option screens use a semi-transparent and angular design that the October 2001 proto replaces for a solid, rounded design. The title for each section bleeds through it’s intended container in most resolutions. The August 2001 menus lack the Windows-style buttons on the upper right-hand corner of menu options.
The main menu options will disappear when browsing a menu screen in the August 2001 prototype, but not in the October 2001 one.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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The August 2001 prototype's options for changing the HUD and menu colors are are generally more limited than in the October 2001 prototype. It doesn't let the user adjust the HUD's RGB channels, instead letting the player change the HUD's hue and saturation to affect it's coloring. There also isn't a color preview box in the August 2001 version and the game does not have multiple profiles for HUD colors. However, the August build lets the player change the menu box opacity, which was removed in the October 2001 build.
The August 2001 build with custom HUD colors.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
|---|---|
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In addition to being formatted like a generic menu box, the August 2001 exit confirmation menu is smaller than the one in the October build.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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Console
The August 2001 console has a gradient effect on the left side of the input box that can make it difficult to see what is being inputted since both it and the text typed in are similar shades of white. The October 2001 prototype fixes this by restyling everything, which includes getting rid of the gradient.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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The August 2001 version of the single player level select menu screen has a thumbnail box that’s too tall for the screenshots in the prototype, causing the game to show the black strips above and below each screenshot. The October 2001 proto has a thumbnail box that fits the images far better.
The buttons used to move to different chapters are boxes with “Prev location” and “Next location”. This is changed to arrow-shaped buttons in the October 2001 build.
The game will begin to load a level as soon as you select it in the August 2001 prototype. The October 2001 build plays the Shotgun's fire and pump sounds before a map loads.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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The save and load menus format the list of saves in a blocky style in the August 2001 proto. The October 2001 prototype uses a rounded style for the list.
The August build has a "cancel" button that is removed in the October build.
| August 2001 save game screen | October 2001 save game screen |
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| August 2001 load game screen | October 2001 load game screen |
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The keyboard section has all of the actions that can be bound to keys listed in one big section in the August 2001 build. This is changed so that the player has to use a dropdown build to select different kinds of actions in the October 2001 build.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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Parental lock
In the August prototype, the parental lock option has it's own dedicated section in the Settings category, but is rolled into a menu that can be accessed in the Game section in the October 2001 build.
Interestingly, the August prototype has a "Kid's mode" which does not exist in the October build.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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Multiplayer
The multiplayer menus are vastly different in the August 2001 build compared to the October 2001 prototype. It contains more menus than the October version and has more options than it as well.
LAN
The August prototype has a dedicated section for LAN games. The October 2001 build cuts this in favor of options in existing menus that let the player swap between net or LAN games.
The most interesting part of the LAN section is the layout. When accessed, it sends the player to a screen-spanning boxed menu that has three options on its left side: create, join, and player setup. These use unique medieval-themed graphics that do not appear in either the October 2001 nor final versions of the game. The Join and player setup options use the same graphic.
DukeNet
The menu for playing online is called DukeNet and uses the same menu design that the August proto does. However, it contains different options. These are chat, create, join, and news.
Create and join use the same graphics that the LAN menu does. However, the chat and news option use new graphics not seen anywhere else in the proto. It should be noted that the news option is seemingly a square graphic is that rounded, causing it to have some visual issues. It’s the only menu option of its kind in the MP prototype menus that has this styling.
The graphic for “chat” uses a medieval-styled graphic with a sign and the text “create” underneath it, while chat uses box with skull-and-bones on it that says “Quit” on it. Presumably, these are from the same source that the other online mode option graphics come form.
Chat
The chat option opens up a chat room, presumably an IRC client. However, it doesn’t connect to any servers when opened up.
Create
The create option lets players create a server.
Both prototypes have the same formatting for server options, but format it in different ways. August 2001 uses tabs, like Unreal Tournament does when setting up a botmatch or local game, while the October 2001 proto uses a dropdown menu that has each server option category selectable in it. October 2001 merges the Rules and Server options in the category Server Rules.
The August 2001 prototype has a tab called "Settings" containing a single option: respawn markers. Both this tab and it's option were removed in the October 2001 build.
The October 2001 menu format does not show descriptions for mutators that would appear when clicking on one, like the August 2001 prototype does. Speaking of which, the August 2001 mutator description is inherited from Unreal Tournament.
The August 2001 prototype's layout and options available are heavily derived from Unreal Tournament's options when creating a server. The main differences between UT99's options and the August 2001 build's are:
- The Rules section has been gutted and replaced with an option to disable item respawn markers.
- Nothing is displayed in the August 2001 build's bots tab.
- The map rotation and mutator options are their own tabs instead of being submenus inside a tab.
- The Server section does not have an option to log player stats with the ngWorldStats system UT99 uses.
- The close button has been removed in the August 2001 build.
| Unreal Tournament | August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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| Unreal Tournament | August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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| Unreal Tournament | August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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| Unreal Tournament | August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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| Unreal Tournament | August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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| Unreal Tournament | August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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| Unreal Tournament | August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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Find game/Join
Find game, or join as it is called in the August 2001 prototype, is the server browser.
The only major difference between the August and October 2001 versions of this menu is that how each one is formatted. However, the August 2001 build notes that it fails to connect to the master server at “dukenet.3drealms.com”, which does not happen in the October 2001 version.
| August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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News
News is another multiplayer option exclusive to the August 2001 prototype. When opened, a large green box with the words “Connecting…” on its upper left-hand corner will appear. Underneath the green box is a graphic that says “DukeNet banner” twice.
It’s likely that this option would be used to load a page showing the latest news about DNF. Since whatever site they used for this is out of commission, it gets stuck on trying to connect to a non-existent site.
Multiplayer character customization
The Multiplayer character customization menus have the same options in both the August and October protos, but are formatted differently.
Both of them derive from the character customization system in Unreal Tournament. However, the prototypes offer more options to customize characters with, such as decals and hit sounds, in exchange for losing UT99's character voice system.
| Unreal Tournament | August 2001 prototype | October 2001 prototype |
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Open location
The August proto has an “open location” option in the multiplayer submenu. It does nothing when opened. However, the graphic and name suggest that it would let the player directly input IP addresses for dedicated servers.
Fun stuff
The August 2001 build has an option called “fun stuff” located under the “Support” submenu. When activated, it opens up a box containing four options: Space Invaders, Missile Command, Breakout, and Naughty Stuff.
Using the first three options shows a screenshot of Space Invaders with “BROKEN” overlaid on it in red font. Presumably, these were meant to be recreations of those games you could play in DNF.
The final option, Naughty Stuff, opens a link to Playboy’s website in the player’s internet browser, or opens up the browser and sends the player over to Playboy’s site if no browser is open.
The error screen that appears whenever you select Space Invaders, Missile Command, or Breakout.
